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- GG vs UPW, WPL 2025 Highlights: All-round Gujarat Giants beat UP Warriorz by six wickets
GG vs UPW, WPL 2025 Highlights: All-round Gujarat Giants beat UP Warriorz by six wickets
Gardner : We'll have a bowl tonight. The dew plays a hard but I also think it is a hard ground to defend on. So we need to take wickets early. We batted really well in the first game, but today we need to be more clinical in the field and try to be really simple with ball in hand. No changes.
Deepti Sharma: Would have bowled as well. We have had good practice sessions and good match simulations, so looking forward to playing today. There were plenty of bonding sessions during the camps, so it feels like we know each other's strengths. Our four overseas are - Alana, Grace, Tahlia McGrath and Sophie (Ecclestone). Debut for Alana King and Kranti Goud.
Gujarat Giants Women (Playing XI):
Beth Mooney(w), Laura Wolvaardt, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner(c), Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Harleen Deol, Tanuja Kanwar, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam
UP Warriorz Women (Playing XI):
Vrinda Dinesh, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Kiran Navgire, Uma Chetry(w), Deepti Sharma(c), Sophie Ecclestone, Alana King, Shweta Sehrawat, Saima Thakor, Kranti Goud
Ash Gardner to Vrinda Dinesh, OUT! BOWLED'EM! Skipper strikes straightaway! She pushes this one through quicker, full and on middle, skids through a bit. Vrinda Dinesh once again goes down to sweep it away but this one is too full for that shot. The ball zips under the bat and rattles the stumps. UP lose both the openers now and are 22/2!
Ash Gardner to Vrinda Dinesh, A bit short and on middle, Vrinda Dinesh nudges it to short mid-wicket.
Ash Gardner to Vrinda Dinesh, Floated, full and around off, Vrinda Dinesh goes down for the sweep but misses.
Ash Gardner to Vrinda Dinesh, Tossed up, full and on middle, Vrinda Dinesh turns it to the leg side.
Uma Chetry is the new batter for UP at number three. The Skipper Ash Gardner has also brought in herself for a change.
- Kiran Navgire 15 (8)
- Vrinda Dinesh 6 (4)
Deandra Dottin to Kiran Navgire, OUT! LBW! Deandra Dottin draws first blood! She goes fuller and on middle, shapes in a touch. Kiran Navgire gets stuck in her crease and looks to play with an angled bat but misses it by some distance. The ball goes through and hits her on the back pad. There is a big shout for LBW, and up goes the finger. However, Navgire takes the review here. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved and Ball Tracking shows two reds with the wickets being umpire's call. UP retains the review but Navgire walks back for a quick-fire 15 off 8!
There has gone something in the eyes of Deandra Dottin and she pulls up from her runner-up. Looks like there could be some insect or something. She is fine now to continue.
Deandra Dottin to Kiran Navgire, Pitched up, on middle, slower as well, Kiran Navgire goes through her slog a bit early. The ball goes up in the air and lands safely over the chasing mid on and mid off fielders. Two runs taken.
Deandra Dottin to Kiran Navgire, Goes fuller but way outside off, Kiran Navgire leaves it alone. Wided.
Deandra Dottin to Kiran Navgire, EDGED AND FOUR! Deandra Dottin bangs this one into the pitch, on middle, takes off a bit. Kiran Navgire looks to pull but she too gets a top edge. The ball just goes over Beth Mooney behind the stumps for another boundary.
Deandra Dottin to Kiran Navgire, On a length and on middle, Kiran Navgire clips it to square leg.
Deandra Dottin to Vrinda Dinesh, Back of a length and on middle, Vrinda Dinesh pats it towards mid-wicket for a single.
Deandra Dottin to Vrinda Dinesh, FOUR! Just over! Deandra Dottin begins with a short delivery, angling in sharply into the body of the batter Vrinda Dinesh gets a bit hurried into her pull shot. The ball takes the top edge and just flies over short fine for a boundary.
Deandra Dottin is sharing the new ball.
- Kiran Navgire 9 (4)
- Vrinda Dinesh 1 (2)
Sayali Satghare to Kiran Navgire, FOUR! Lovely shot! Sayali Satghare bangs this into the pitch and on off. Kiran Navgire stays firm in the crease as the keeper is up to the stumps. She gets on top of the bounce and punches it sweetly through extra covers for another boundary. 10 runs off the first over!
Sayali Satghare to Kiran Navgire, Oh..close! Touch fuller and on middle, angling in sharply. Kiran Navgire uses her feet to go big but swings all over it.
Sayali Satghare to Vrinda Dinesh, Good length and around off, Vrinda Dinesh pushes it towards covers for a run.
Sayali Satghare to Vrinda Dinesh, Slower one, on a length and on off, Vrinda Dinesh guides it to point.
Sayali Satghare to Kiran Navgire, Fuller one and on middle, Kiran Navgire clips it through square leg for a single.
Sayali Satghare to Kiran Navgire, FOUR! Perfect start for UP! Sayali Satghare lands this back of a length and well outside off. Kiran Navgire gets the chance to free her arms and crunches it through point for a boundary.
All in readiness! The two umpires are making their way out to the middle now followed by the Gujarat players. Kiran Navgire and Vrinda Dinesh are the openers for UP. Sayali Satghare has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...
PITCH REPORT - Deep Dasgupta is pitchside. He says that it is a fresh pitch and the one that has been left which was used for the first two games thus the dimensions have been changed a little bit. There is a short boundary on the one square. Stacy Ann King joins him as she says that this ground has been so high-scoring as more than 700 runs have been scored in the first two matches. She says that there is less grass but the cracks are more open that those two pitches. Further adds that the bowlers should target the length between 4 to 6 M because it might create some trouble for the batters. Deep says that there is patchy grass and there was dew last night too so whoever wins the toss, most probably will want to take the field.
Deepti Sharma, the captain of UP says that they would have bowled first as well. Adds that the practice matches has been good and she is looking forward to leading the team. Mentions that they have some good bonding sessions and got to know each other well. Says that Kranti and Alana are making their debuts. Informs Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Ecclestone, and Alana King are the four foreign players.
Ash Gardner, the Skipper of Gujarat, says that she would like to bowl first. Talks about the reason as she says the dew plays a part later in the inning and it is hard to defend on this ground. They have good players in the team who can chase quickly. Further adds that there are always plenty of things you need to improve with each game and there have been positives also. There is no hiding behind that they lost a couple of opportunities in the field that day and thus they lost. Will try to keep more simpler today and just hit the stumps when you are bowling and collect those catches. Informs that there are no changes.
UP (Playing XI) - Uma Chetry (WK), Vrinda Dinesh, Grace Harris, Deepti Sharma (C), Tahlia McGrath, Kiran Navgire, Sophie Ecclestone, Alana King (On Debut for UP), Shweta Sehrawat, Saima Thakor, Kranti Goud (On Debut).
Gujarat (Unchanged Playing XI) - Beth Mooney (WK), Laura Wolvaardt, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ash Gardner (C), Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Harleen Deol, Tanuja Kanwer, Sayali Satghare, Priya Mishra, Kashvee Gautam.
TOSS - The coin lands in favour of Ash Gardner and Gujarat have elected to BOWL first.
202 - RCB vs GG, Vadodara, 2025*
191 - MI vs GG, Delhi, 2024
189 - RCB vs GG, Brabourne, 2023
179 - UPW vs GG, Brabourne, 2023
172 - MI vs DC, Bengaluru, 2024
"It is pretty flattening to be honest, we knew it was a par score at the halfway stage and we dropped some chances and it hurt us in the end. There are always gonna be positives, there were some really good glimpses with the ball as well but when you miss those chances it can hurt you, Richa made sure she got her team over the line with a brilliant knock . We know it is gonna get very dewy and it was very tricky to hold the ball in the end, but we are not gonna use that as an excuse for the loss. We were in a very good position to win that game, and unfortunately it wasn't to be. We want to keep playing fearless cricket with both bat and ball and remain positive and the rest hopefully takes care of itself."
Ash Gardner had said after the defeat
UP Warriorz Women Squad: Chamari Athapaththu, Vrinda Dinesh, Kiran Navgire, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrath, Deepti Sharma(c), Uma Chetry(w), Sophie Ecclestone, Anjali Sarvani, Kranti Goud, Saima Thakor, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Gouher Sultana, Arushi Goel, Chinelle Henry, Alana King, Shweta Sehrawat, Poonam Khemnar
Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and the Australian duo of Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris are known for their explosive T20 performances. If they hit top form, they can take apart any bowling attack.
Among Indian batters, Deepti Sharma leads the charge, bringing an aggressive approach that earned her the MVP title in Season 2. She smashed three half-centuries and maintained a strike rate close to 150. Young talents like Kiran Navgire, Shweta Sehrawat, and Vrinda Dinesh have also displayed excellent form in the recent domestic season and will be eager to make an impact.
While the squad looks well-rounded in both batting and bowling, two key areas will need improvement. Fielding remains a concern, as dropped catches proved costly in Season 2. Head coach Jon Lewis and his staff will be keen to sharpen the team’s fielding efforts. Additionally, staying injury-free—especially for young players—will be crucial for a deep tournament run.
WPL’s highest wicket-taker, Sophie Ecclestone (27 wickets in two seasons), will once again spearhead the attack alongside India’s top-ranked bowler in the format, Deepti Sharma, who has claimed 138 international wickets and 19 dismissals across two WPL seasons.
They are well-supported by Australian leg-spinner Alana King, Sri Lanka’s all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu, India’s experienced Rajeshwari Gayakwad (13 wickets in 16 matches), and left-arm spinner Gouher Sultana.
Complementing their lethal spin attack is a promising pace unit. Anjali Sarvani (six wickets in 13 games) has already showcased her skills in the past two seasons, while Saima Thakor’s emergence has been a major boost.
Though she has only three wickets in six matches, her ability to control the game and steady improvement bode well for the team.
Saima is expected to lead the attack alongside Anjali, while young speedster Kranti Goud, who played a key role in Madhya Pradesh’s historic domestic ODI title win with a four-wicket haul in the final, adds further depth to the pace battery.
This season marks a new era for the team, with Deepti Sharma taking over as captain while staying committed to the mission of fighting hard and winning every match. Adding to the excitement, the UP Warriorz will play at their home stadium in Lucknow for the first time during the third phase of the tournament.
The campaign begins in Vadodara on February 16, where the Warriorz will face Gujarat Giants before moving on to play two matches in the first phase. The team will then compete in Bengaluru and Lucknow, playing three matches in each city to conclude their league stage.
Match Statistics
Venue
BCA Stadium, Vadodara
